As I walked through the aisles of the supermarket recently, I realised again how much more complicated the life of consumers has become over recent years. Dishwashing products promise not only spotless clean pans but also declare to be eco-friendly. Biscuit boxes with a picture of yellow corn fields claim that the cookies are made of only natural ingredients – and by the way are also an excellent source of 11 vitamins and minerals.

Product claims that border on “greenwashing” have turned me into a cynical shopper. Companies that opt to spend more resources in claiming to be green through marketing than developing a comprehensive CSR strategy play with fire, in my opinion. There’s no doubt that brands that have been exposed as greenwashed risk losing the trust and loyalty of their consumers. And by exposing yet another greenwasher, our confidence in those shiny green logos dwindles a bit more, hurting even the legitimately sustainable brands.

So where can we find more information about the products we buy? U.S.-based Web site GoodGuide tries to give some answers. The site rates 70,000 products – including toys, food, personal care and household products – for their health, environmental and social performance. It was set up by Dara O’Rourke, a professor at the University of California-Berkeley, who wanted to know which chemicals were in the sunscreen he often used for his five-year-old daughter. When he found out that the sunscreen had a toxic ingredient, the idea of GoodGuide started to grow.

The Web site is easy to use – you can search per product name or you can look at a class of products to find out which ones have the highest score. The site gives an overall grade per product and an individual rate per performance. Each category (health, environment & social) is divided into a number of subcategories – recycling, water management, child labor, philanthropy and certifications, to name a few. It’s also mobile, with an iPhone application unveiled earlier this year.

The best way to explore the site is by trying it out. But what if your favorite brand doesn’t pass the test? GoodGuide also provides a list with similar products which have a higher score. Unfortunately, I can’t find most of the products on the shelves of the European supermarkets, which is too bad.

Of course, questions remain: How trustworthy is the Web site. Are the data reliable? What are they based on? GoodGuide does not quite provide the full picture, as the focus is on the rating and not the entire story. Sifting through all the data also takes time, and differences between the categories are not always clear.

But for now, I give GoodGuide the benefit of doubt. I guess I’m not yet that cynical.

In the early 1990s at St. Matthew’s elementary, my classmates and I starred in a play about recycling that wowed parents and teachers alike.  I can’t recall the plot… or the set… or pretty much anything else about it.  But, I remember the theme song:  The Recycle Rap.

To this day, The Recycle Rap pops into my head when I hear the word “recycle.”  Actually, it’s just the chorus of “recycle, recycle, recycle NOW,” but same difference.  The last time it happened, I began thinking about how a play about recycling was a sign of the times.  Yes, my friends and I and everyone else in tune with The Recycle Rap would save the world, one recycled soda can at a time.

I remember sorting recyclables and taking them to the local recycling center, and I recall many of my friends’ families doing the same.  I’m sure we weren’t the only ones.

The numbers (pdf) support the notion that recycling took hold in the early 1990s.  The recycling rate for municipal solid waste (MSW) in the U.S. increased 9.8 percent from 1990 to 1995, a huge jump considering it increased the same amount over the thirty years leading up to 1990.  By 2007, the most recent year the recycling rate was available, it jumped to 33.4 percent.

Unfortunately, it seems we focused on recycling but let the “reduce and reuse” part of the mantra slip our mind.  Recycling has gone up, but so has MSW generation.  From 1990 to 2007, MSW generation increased nearly 50 million tons.  In 2007, the per capita total was 4.62 lbs.  That’s like pitching a laptop or a pair of work boots every single day.  In 1960, when so few were recycling?  The per capita was at 2.68.

The EPA will release another MSW report sometime this year, and it’ll be interesting to see the numbers for the past two years.  Curbside recycling programs are becomming more widespread, and recycling promotion has been common for years.  Of course, e-waste generation is a problem, but more companies and governments are developing programs to handle it.

History indicates that waste and recycling will continue to increase.  But, as more consumers and businesses factor sustainability into their decision-making, can we expect the waste side of the equation to soon start trending down?

And, it turns out The Recycle Rap is still making the elementary school rounds.  With any luck, it may get stuck in your head, too.

A recent survey by the branding/marketing agency BBMG shows U.S. consumers consider Wal-Mart to be both the most and least socially responsible company.

Huh?

How can a company be both a leader and a laggard all at once? Maybe it’s a reminder that consumers have long memories. Years after Wal-Mart boldly pushed sustainability to the forefront of its corporate agenda, the company is still plagued by perceptions – right or wrong – that it did so only to divert attention from other issues, such as its dealings with employees.

Be that as it may, it’s hard to argue with the impact of Wal-Mart’s sustainability efforts or with the implications they hold for business in general. Some of these efforts have been controversial, particularly for some suppliers as they struggle to keep up with new requirements.  Still, I applaud the leadership position the company has taken, and the openness with which it has approached relationships with third parties who have brought a valuable outside perspective.

As BBMG’s co-founders Raphael Bemporad and Mitch Baranowski note in this spot-on observation on TriplePundit:

“CSR is no longer about reporting incremental progress to a small set of stakeholders like environmental advocates; it now holds the potential to be a consumer-facing, brand-building, culture-shifting platform that changes how we think, work and take action in the marketplace.

It is quickly moving beyond company-centered monologue and well-intentioned education to meaningful 360-degree dialogue, engagement and empowerment. It is looking beyond efficiency gains to ask more challenging questions around socioeconomic justice and corporate governance.”

Powerful stuff. And a reminder that corporate social responsibility isn’t just a niche anymore. For consumers, employees, regulators, investors and other key groups, a company’s authentic efforts in this space are a growing factor in their willingness to part with their dollars, time and respect. That means it’s not enough to issue a feel-good sustainability report once a year and call it a day.

True sustainability is about genuinely engaging your stakeholders in a meaningful discussion about where your business can/should realistically focus attention and resources to make the greatest impact for the company and beyond. As Michael Porter and Mark Kramer noted in this 2006 Harvard Business Review piece:

“Corporations are not responsible for all the worlds’ problems, nor do they have the resources to solve them all. Each company can identify the particular set of societal problems that it is best equipped to help resolve and from which it can gain the greatest competitive benefit…

When a well-run business applies its vast resources, expertise, and management talent to problems that it understands and in which it has a stake, it can have a greater impact on the social good than any other institution or philanthropic organization.”

The challenge for us as communicators is to step back and really see The Big Picture — so we can help others do the same. Have you done that lately?

Your confidant, your loyal best friend, your pet. We provide our pets with the finest treatment – from designer accessories to gourmet treats – but often forget to consider if our choices are responsible.

My boys - Rugger and Chevy

With an estimated 62 percent of Americans serving as doting pet owners, it’s imperative for us to be as responsible in our earth-conscious choices for our four-legged friends as we are in our own daily lives.

These choices start early in our pet ownership with the choice to spay or neuter. We all remember Bob Barker on the Price Is Right ending the show with this plea, but the message brings truth: With thousands of puppies and kittens born every day, this choice is necessary to prevent homeless animals and to decrease risks of disease.

Another key choice is found in the necessary job title of “pooper scooper”. With a bit of simple math, an estimated 78 million dogs owned in America — with their three to five scoops per day collected by way of plastic bag — equals one big unnecessary addition to already overloaded landfills. An easy solution is the wealth of biodegradable bags sold in most pet stores nationwide. This way, the dirty job you’re tasked with doesn’t have to dirty up landfills any further. I like to bring a few of these bags in my pocket when I’m out with our dogs to share the wealth and help pick up other pet messes and clean-up the streets while I’m at it.

Sustainable choices don’t stop there… from the accessories they wear to the beds they sleep in to the food they chow down on; these earth-friendly goods are out there if you look. Check out a few more of my favorite tips from Planet Green’s How to Go Green: Pets.

Have you ushered in a sustainable lifestyle for your pet? What are some of your best tricks?

The future?

A new study released earlier this month by the University of California, Berkeley held exciting news for the burgeoning electric car market: electric car sales could jump to 86 percent of U.S. light vehicle sales in 2030 if consumers don’t have to buy their batteries themselves.

Considering that auto emissions are one of the largest contributors of carbon dioxide in our country, this forecast means Americans could soon be enjoying reduced smog in our cities and increased energy independence.

But before we all celebrate the dawn of the plug-in hybrid age, two questions remain unresolved. First, can technology keep pace with demand? And second, who will pay for the requisite infrastructure?

As with most renewable power technologies, advancing technology toward cost-competitiveness with fossil fuels remains the holy grail of electric vehicles. Batteries are the most expensive part of electric vehicles, and their range is somewhat limited. Funding is flowing from the federal government toward next-generation battery research, including billions in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and $8 billion in loans to car makers. Lithium-ion batteries, common in cell phones, are moving forward at research centers like GM’s new Global Battery Systems Lab, but aren’t yet manufactured at a commercial scale.

System schematic

Beyond technology, the sheer cost of this endeavor stands in the way of the desired reality. Theoretically, plug-in electric vehicles could diversify our electrical system and create millions of micro power generators to use during peak demand. But, this would require expanding our transmission infrastructure and creating a true Smart Grid with upgraded utility technology to regulate the flow of power. Companies like Better Place are building swap-out charging stations to centralize the network, but all of this constitutes hundreds of billions worth of investment over many years, and the global economic slowdown makes this an uphill climb.

But all the news is not bad. Toyota and Honda are already firmly established in the plug-in hybrid market, and companies like Tesla, Chevrolet, and Mitsubishi announce milestones with their respective models almost every day. Market competition will no doubt drive innovation and advances in technology. Consumer attitudes toward electric vehicles seem to have shifted, and if the Waxman-Markey climate change bill passes the Senate, even more funding and incentive will be created for those pursuing advanced electrical vehicle technologies.

It’s clear that the age of electric cars, so often seen as a distant speck on the horizon, is drawing very near with the quiet whirr of a non-combustion engine. The only question remaining is when we’ll all be able to press the “on” button.

There is no doubt that the fashion industry has increasingly shown interest towards ethical and environmental issues, and in recent years several initiatives have raised a lot of public attention. From the famous Katherine Hamnett campaign for the use of organic cotton to the partnership between Anya Hindmarch and the NGO We Are What We Do with the hit “I’m Not a Plastic Bag”, from Louis Vuitton’s green slogan “Créatif par Nature”, to the launch of the ethical line of accessories and furniture created by one of the Fendi sisters, Carmina Campus… these are only some of the many examples of high-profile fashion brands that have decided to embrace green causes.

According to a report of the Centre for Sustainable Fashion, “Many companies have adopted sustainability primarily as a strategy for increasing sales and brand awareness. [However,] As sustainability becomes an issue that can no longer be ignored, it is apparent that transparency, accountability and trust will all be key to affecting change and must be central to industry practice”. And just like the majority of business sectors, the fashion industry has embraced this message.

But because of the nature of its business, fashion is under continuous scrutiny from media and consumers; still companies are well aware of the importance of their green reputation to continue to be competitive on the market. As outlined in the WWF’s Deeper Luxury report: “It is hard to switch to a sustainable airline, since there are none; in contrast, it is relatively easy to find ’sustainable’ clothes and accessories.”

In general, while it is not possible to provide exact figures in terms of footprint reduction of the fashion industry as a whole, my impression is that fashion is moving in the right direction and what is important is that it is giving to consumers the opportunity to make more sustainable choices while selecting a dress or a moisturizer.

Consumers can now choose from many different brands and they can make a real difference selecting those ones that guarantee the highest environment and ethical standards. To have an idea of the variety of the offer and be guided through the choice the British newspaper The Guardian’s has launched the Ethical Fashion Directory. In addition to their purchases, consumers also can make a difference in the way they dispose of clothes. To tackle this issue, major British retailer Marks & Spencer teamed up with Oxfam International to create the Clothes Exchange, the biggest programme in the UK to encourage consumers to recycle their clothes.

While fashion is sometimes ephemeral, this business is certainly evolving and finding creative solutions to contribute to sustainability – and I, for one, am curious to see what will be à la mode in the coming seasons.

Our friends at Fleishman-Hillard Innovation examine the topic of high-speed rail in the U.S. An excerpt:

In 1992, Spain opened its first Alta Velocidad Española (AVE) high-speed train route between Madrid and Seville. According to NYTimes.com, “the AVE has begun to transform the country, binding remote and sometimes restive regions to Madrid and leading traditionally homebound Spaniards to move around for work or leisure…

 

In April, President Barack Obama announced his vision for a high-speed rail system across the United States. As part of Obama’s announcement, he invited states to submit grant applications to the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) requesting funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to build high-speed rail lines in their states and across their regions.

 

Recently, many governors joined forces to submit their plans for their regions and are now waiting for the results. Obama said in his speech in April that “the Department of Transportation expects to begin awarding funds to ready projects before the end of the summer, well ahead of schedule. And like all funding decisions under the Recovery Act, money will be distributed based on merit – not on politics, not as favors, not for any other consideration – purely on merit.”

 

Advocates for high-speed rail in the United States, like the US High Speed Rail Association (USHRA), say a high-speed train system “solves many problem” by:

• Creating millions of green jobs nationwide building the new rail infrastructure and manufacturing the rail cars.
• Reducing the nation’s $700 billion a year oil purchase trade deficit.
• Lowering U.S. dependence on foreign oil because the trains are powered by clean electricity from renewable energy sources.
• Saving lives (43,000 Americans die in car accidents each year).
• Providing efficient mobility that moves people and goods without delay and waste.
• Putting a high-quality infrastructure in place that sets the United States up for prosperity, mobility, efficiency and a sustainable future.
• Clearing up congestion on the roads and in the sky (Obama said traffic costs the United States $80 billion a year in lost productivity and wasted fuel).
• Carrying eight times as many passengers as an airplane on one train, using the same amount of energy and emitting a quarter of the carbon-dioxide for each passenger, according to NYTimes.com.
• Speeding up travel. For instance, according to the Midwest High Speed Rail Association, a 220-mph train between Chicago and St. Louis would cut the more than 5-hour drive down to two.

Read the full post at the FH Innovation blog.

Earlier this week, 12 European energy industry heavyweights signed a memorandum of understanding that marks the start of the most ambitious of renewable energy projects: DESERTEC.With the DESERTEC Industrial Initiative (DII), these players plan to supply Europe, the Middle East and North Africa (EMENA) with electricity generated in the Sahara Desert. This is a first in the industry, bringing together companies like Siemens AG, utilities such as RWE Energy and E.ON AG, financial powerhouse Deutsche Bank and German insurer Munich Re. Never before have companies from such a variety of industries come together to promote one vision: building a sustainable, secure and affordable energy supply.

What might sound like a giant marketing coup at first becomes more intriguing the more one considers the facts:
• Within just six hours, the deserts receive more energy from the sun than humankind consumes within a year;
• More than 90 percent of the population live within 3,000 km (about 1,900 miles) of a desert and may be supplied with energy from there;
• 20 square meters of desert would provide enough energy to supply one human being with all the power he needs – day and night – with the technology available today.

The DESERTEC project aims to build a renewable energy network across North Africa, the Middle East and the EU (by DESERTEC)

By 2050, about 15 percent of Europe’s energy needs could be covered by the DESERTEC program – given a combination of political goodwill and the investment of roughly 400 billion Euros (approximately $565 billion  US).

And that’s where the critics see the initial sore points: North Africa is not exactly known for being a politically stable region. And, even if the solar project will boost development and, in turn, promote security, this will take time. Who will finance the projects until then?

This leads to the second point of criticism: the money. Critics argue that by investing 400 billion Euros in renewable energy projects across Europe now, a lot more than 15 percent of Europe’s energy needs could be covered in 2050.

But the DII argues that because the sun is so much more powerful in the desert, it will be cheaper in the long run to produce the energy in Africa and transport it to Europe than producing it directly in Europe.

DESERTEC Concentrated Solar Power (by Mike Chino)

The transportation of the electricity is another, if not the most, tricky aspect of the project. In order to supply Europe with power from the Sahara, the whole grid has to be modernised into some kind of super grid. But how can a grid be installed across so many countries when already today it takes months to get approval for a simple extension of the existing grid?

Still, the good thing is the members of DII are aware of all these drawbacks and still have every ambition to proceed. DII now has three years to conduct studies that explore the technological, economical and political conditions to realise the planned projects.

As Torsten Jeworrek, member of the board of reinsurer Muenchner Rueck and one of the drivers of DESERTEC, puts it: “The DII doesn’t offer a solution, but has a bold plan. And if this plan succeeds it’s a win for all parties.” The costs that an unhindered climate change will cause are much higher than the investment costs in this project.

So let’s not jump the gun on judgment; instead, let’s see how this vision for a clean, secure and affordable renewable energy supply unfolds.

A little more than a month ago I went back to my beloved hometown, Torre Annunziata, a sunny place in the south of Italy situated in the Gulf of Naples. It spreads between Vesuvius’ slopes and the famous Pompei, right in front of Capri and Sorrento.

Having said that, it could seem that this town is the perfect place to be. Unfortunately, though, while the climate and the landscape are fantastic, it is not really at the forefront of social and economic development.

Nevertheless, I found a pleasant little surprise in that hot day of late May. In my apartment a new “smart” meters for power consumption, which had been installed by Enel, the Italian energy supplier. Reading the instructions I found that this device was able to read automatically my energy consumption and send the information back directly to the power supplier. I could also modify automatically the amount of energy supplied to my apartment without any phone calls ortechnicians’ visit.

Suddenly something came up to my mind…wait a moment! This is just what I heard talk about for months in Brussels! Smart meters, smart grids … these advanced technologies were also reaching this remote corner of Europe. (Well, actually, Italy has been amongst the first in Europe, and in the World, to implement this kind of solutions — a bit of national pride.)

This is a good example of how Europe is at the forefront of the development of ICT for energy efficiency. The European Commission provided about €74 million for the period 2009/2010 to fund R&D projects in green ICT and ICT for energy efficiency.

ICT are at the core of the future energy market. We must be able to take advantage of the distributive nature of ICT to allow the deployment of no-centralized clean power acumulation and distribution systems.

Contrary to iconic images of smokestacks and sooty factories, the world’s complex computer infrastructure is fast becoming one of the greatest carbon emitters. By 2020, global IT will reach about 3 percent of carbon emissions, accounting for “1.54 metric gigatons, or twice what the United Kingdom produces today,” according McKinsey & Co.

Where is this intense energy consumption and carbon emission coming from? Look to everything from your home computer and cell phone to the vast telecommunications networks and data centers that make the Internet work.

In the coming years, technology will work its way into more parts of our lives, making the possibility of turning back our insatiable demand unlikely. Fortunately, with this demand are great economic opportunities—by optimizing our use of technology, we can find efficiencies, cutting as much as 7.8 metric gigatons a year, McKinsey reported.

Companies like AT&T, a Fleishman-Hillard client, are looking forward and creating partnerships with energy providers to begin roll out of smart grids, where energy usage can be efficiently monitored and delivered.

Other tech innovators like Microsoft and Google are bringing energy savings to the world of cloud computing—creating remote systems that can grow and shrink computing power depending on need, conserving energy.

While innovative small and large companies will help lead us into a more efficient and sustainable future, regular users of technology can do their part. Check out this great podcast from Northwestern University for tips on how you can green your tech experience.